Method for manufacturing a shell of a metallic cabinet

ABSTRACT

A shell of a metallic cabinet is made by means of folding two ends of a metal plate form fitting portions at the two ends, bending the metal plate and making the fitting portions engage each other to change the metal plate into a semi-finished shell, pressing the fitting portions against each other such that the fitting portions become flat to closely touch each other, and bending upper and lower ends of the semi-finished shell inwards to form inward annular fitting protrusions thereon, shaping the semi-finished shell by means of exerting outward force on inner portions of the semi-finished shell, and punching a front side of the semi-finished shell to form an opening; a cover and a base are respectively secured to the upper and the lower ends with bumps, which are formed near to edges of the cover and the base, engaging the fitting protrusions of the shell.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the invention

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a shell of a metallic cabinet, more particularly one, according to which a cabinet shell is made by means of folding a metal plate and joining two ends of the metal plate together such that the shell has a simple structure, and manufacturing cost, and time and labor taken in assembling will reduce.

2. Brief Description of the Prior Art

Referring to FIG. 12, a conventional shell 4 of a metallic cabinet includes a bottom plate 41, front lower and rear lower beams 42 and 43 secured to a lower side of the bottom plate 41, two lateral plates 44 secured to lateral edges of the bottom plate 41, a rear plate 46 securely connected to rear edges of the bottom plate 41 and the lateral plates 44, a top plate 49 securely connected to upper ends of the rear plate 46 and the lateral plates 44, front upper and rear upper beams 47 and 48 securely connected to the upper ends of the lateral plates 44 to support the top plate 49, and several pairs of rails 45 on inner sides of the lateral plates 44; the above various plates can be joined together by means of screws. And, drawers (not shown) are held in the shell 4 and supported by the rails 45 for containing objects or files therein.

The conventional shell has a disadvantage that it consists of many parts. Consequently, the manufacturing cost is relatively high, and it takes much time and labor to assemble the shell.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is a main object of the present invention to provide an improvement on a shell of a metallic cabinet to overcome the above disadvantage. The method of the present invention includes: folding two ends of a metal plate form fitting portions at the two ends, bending the metal plate and making the fitting portions engage each other to change the metal plate into a semi-finished shell, pressing the fitting portions against each other such that the fitting portions become flat to closely touch each other, and bending upper and lower ends of the semi-finished shell inwards to form inward annular fitting protrusions thereon, shaping the semi-finished shell by means of exerting outward force on inner portions of the semi-finished shell, and punching a front side of the semi-finished shell to form an opening thereon. After the shell is finished, a cover and a base are respectively secured to the upper and the lower ends with engaging bumps, which are formed near to edges of the cover and the base, engaging the fitting protrusions of the shell.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be better understood by referring to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a flow chart of the method for manufacturing a shell of a metallic cabinet according to the present invention,

FIG. 2 is a view of a metal plate used in the present method,

FIG. 3 is a view of the metal plate, demonstrating the first step of the method of the present invention,

FIG. 4 is a view of the metal plate, demonstrating the second step,

FIG. 5 is a view of the semi-finished sell, showing the third step,

FIG. 6 is a view of the semi-finished sell, showing the fourth step,

FIG. 7 is a view of the semi-finished sell, showing the fifth step,

FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the present shell made according to the method of the present invention,

FIG. 9 is a view showing one way to use the cabinet shell made according to the method of the present invention,

FIG. 10 is a view showing another way to use the cabinet shell made according to the method of the present invention,

FIG. 11 is a view showing yet another way to use the present shell, and

FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view of the conventional shell.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 7, a preferred embodiment of a method for manufacturing a shell 1 of a metallic cabinet includes the following steps:

(1) folding two ends of a metal plate 11 so that fitting portions 12 and 13 are formed at the two ends, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3;

(2) bending the metal plate 11 and making the fitting portions 12 and 13 engage each other to join the two ends of the metal plate 11 together, as shown in FIG. 4;

(3) pressing the fitting portions 12 and 13 against each other with great force such that the portions 12 and 13 become flat to closely touch each other, and bending upper and lower ends of the semi-finished shell inwards such that the semi-finished shell has inward annular fitting protrusions 14 and 15 at the upper and the lower ends thereof respectively, as shown in FIG. 5;

(4) shaping the semi-finished shell for the same to have four flat sides by means of exerting outward force on inner portions of the semi-finished shell, as shown in FIG. 6;

(5) forming an opening 16 on a front side of the semi-finished shell by means of a punch press so that the shell 1 is finished, as shown in FIG. 7.

Referring to FIG. 8, an upper cover 2 and a base 3 are respectively secured on the upper and the lower ends of the shell 1 after the shell 1 is finished; the cover 2 and the base 3 each has a protrusion projecting from one side and near to the edge thereof, and they have engaging bumps 21, 31 spaced apart on the outward sides of the protrusions and respectively engaged with the inward annular fitting protrusions 14 and 15 of the shell 1.

Referring to FIG. 9, the shell 1 can be used together with drawers 161, which are passed to the shell 1 through the opening 16. Referring to FIG. 10, the shell 1 also can be used together with an inner shell 162, which is held in the shell 1, and in which drawers 163 are held. Referring to FIG. 11, the shell 1 also can be equipped with a door 164, which is pivoted to those portions of the upper cover 2 and the base 3 that project out beyond the front side of the shell 1.

From the above description, it can be easily understood that metallic cabinet shells made according to the method of the present invention has much simpler structure than conventional ones as described in Background, and the manufacturing cost, and time and labor needed in assembling will reduce. 

1. A method for manufacturing a shell of a metallic cabinet, comprising following steps: (1) folding two ends of a metal plate to form fitting portions at the two ends; (2) bending the metal plate and making the fitting portions engage each other to change the metal plate into a semi-finished shell; (3) pressing the fitting portions against each other such that the fitting portions become flat and closely touch each other, plus bending upper and lower ends of the semifinished shell inwards to form inward annular fitting protrusions thereon; (4) shaping the semi-finished shell by means of exerting outward force on inner sides of the semi-finished shell; and (5) punching a front side of the semi-finished shell to form an opening thereon.
 2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein an upper cover is secured on the upper end of the shell, and a base is secured on the upper end of the shell; the upper cover having a plurality of engaging bumps spaced apart near to an edge and engaged with the fitting protrusion of the upper end of the shell; the base having a plurality of engaging bumps spaced apart near to an edge and engaged with the fitting protrusion of the lower end of the shell.
 3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the shell is used together with drawers, which are passed to the shell through the opening.
 4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the shell is used together with an inner shell, which is held in the shell, and in which drawers are held.
 5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein an upper cover and a base are respectively secured on the upper and the lower ends of the shell, and the shell is equipped with a door, which is pivoted to those portions of the upper cover and the base that project out beyond a front side of the shell. 